Hot Rods Unglue a nine inch Ford Pumpkin

not the best ***le...wasn't sure what to write...but I think instead of using a gasket the prior owner used windshield urethane or something like it as a gasket. I cut the excess that had squeezed out off with a razor knife, it was stuck pretty good I really don't want to damage the housing (it has the brackets welded on for the suspension) or the pumpkin.

I've tried to drive a putty knife between the housing and the cast iron but there is NO movement. I thought about getting the rosebud torch out and heating up the mating area to "loosen" the grip.

This car (27 T) was a project a guy bought 25 years ago for his grandkids to build...they didn't get a lot done before they found out that racing was more fun than building a plastic car. I've changed some things and I'd really like to inspect the "innards" before I re***emble the car.

Open for ideas.

 

Are there copper washers around the studs squished into place; I've found they will lock the pumpkin in tight. Had to dig them out to get any movement.

 

In the past i have hammered to studs in to remove stubborn third members.

 

The 'worst stuck' one I ever had was out of a '57 Ranchero. Narrow and desirable. But the P.O. had witnessed a leak, and attacked it with some Home Depot seal-all, and it worked. (!)
After everything, (butane torch, oxy-acet, and carb cleaner following acetone) No joke, all these things. P.O. had deleted the copper washers, so that wasn't a factor.
I was pushed to using my 4" Makita 90* grinder, I tended to grinding a short arc (at the top) into the forged 'pig' edge, NOT the stamped housing.
The arc was about 1" in length, leaving a slight 'notch' for my forged and hardened tool.
Tool was a large old screwdriver, heated to a dull red at the tip, vise-bent to 90* at the 3/8" end tip.
Next was a cherry red heating, and careful cooling in used engine oil. HARD!
Now, I inserted it into the groove, and it moved.
Some action back-and-forth, and patience! It eventually let go.

 

I don't see washers on this one..only that evil goo squishing out between stud and hole.

this is why I use a gasket on rearends

 

pull the pinion support out and bolt a bar in place to rock the center in the housing, acetone on the goop to soften it. or suspend the whole shebang from the yoke and apply acetone daily

 

I've used a wood chisel and a hammer with good success to get out similar "stuck" center sections. You will ruin the chisel so pick accordingly.

 

The washers were normally on the bottom studs one the ones I remember taking apart . The image is of the top of this one .

 

You can also knock the studs down into the housing as they're splined like a wheel stud

 

Heat, along with sharpened hacksaw blades. (You grind down the teeth side into a sharp edge, then hammer the knife side into the gap between the housing and the pumpkin)

 

When doing this, do it at one of the ribs.

 

Yes heat. And repeat all the tricks. And heat again. etc

 

What about suspending it by the front yoke from a cherry picker or similar whilst gently warming the flange. The weight of the housing might be enough or alternately suspend the housing and put something like an old tyre or something soft to break the fall of the diff when it lets go.

 

Maybe make up a hoop that can attach to 2 of the pinion carrier bolts. Remove and replace bolts with longer ones enable attachment. Then a large slide hammer to "jerk" the whole carrier out of the housing.
Heat the goopy stuff, and slide/hit away.

 

I'm surprised you couldnt drive the putty knife in and around the whole thing to cut the goo. Maybe heat it a little and use one of those 7-in-1 paint tools, sharpen the edge. They are a little thicker and you can pound on it harder. I'd use a dead blow hammer, but use what you got. You're probably going to have to cut it all the way around, one spot's not going to cut it.

 

So I'm not the only one this sort of thing happens to...
Another vote here for the 'ol heat wrench.
Random pic of Betty Blowtorch :

 

Looking at the pic, I have to ask- I ***ume the axles have been pulled?
Acetone (fingernail polish remover) will soften the glue if left to soak a bit. A ratchet strap hooked to a cross member and a pinion u bolt will give a little tension as you work the putty knife in.

 

The only quick foolproof method.... You may need a dab of goo at the gouge it may produce, but otherwise no harm.

I'll note that these are a pretty precise fit and need to come off straight, so don't expect that prying in one place will do it. Start in one place, then work your way around until it's free on all sides.

 

This has worked for me, as I use a bead of silicone instead of a gasket.

 

Try 4 stiff putty knives all the way ‘round and heat .
Tapping with a hammer as you go .

I saw a **** mechanic onetime at a ford dealership I worked at JB weld a diff back together for no other reason that “ it’s funny “

hopefully that’s not your case in this

 

I didn't respond to this thread earlier because I thought this was just too easy and it would be done quickly, obviously not, thought I would add to your suggestionsaying to use a "stiff putty knife".
Like many, I've misused tools to just "get the job done" and in a case much like this one, though I don't recall the exact cir***stances, it was a tough one because I used a wood handled, commercially made gasket s****er that I had for years, it was a good attempt until the wood handle decided to crumble just as I was making some progress.
After the lightbulb moment realizing these aren't meant to be used in this fashion I made a new handle out of steel and that helped finish the job.
I don't see any steel versions available but there are many styles here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=gas...ient=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&prmd=sivn

 

Oh hell, just put it back in the car less the nuts for the pumpkin and dump the clutch.

 

Sounds like a dandy way to bend a housing.

 

If you get a slim enough “ cheisel, “ it will come off. Like mentioned you will need to use several at 12, 3,6 and 9 o’clock to bring the pumpkin up straight. The angle of the sharp edge is critical! I have used my Buck knife to split housings before. It has a very slight angle. Might try some cheap knife blades, as they have the right angles for this job!




Bones

 

Yes, and heat will eventually release epoxy.

 

I use a piece of twine on a 9" unless I have a gasket. LOL

If it were mine I would heat it to soften the glue and drive a screw driver or two in there to separate it.

 

4-5 puddy knives heated and wedged in around the cir***ference, once you get one started you can put another directly under it then drive a flat blade screwdriver in between the two, that way it doesn't mar the surface of the rear end or carrier.

 

First...thanks to all of you that offered suggestions, yesterday this task seemed almost insurmountable

Not sure how I got lucky on this one I used the rosebud on the torch and heated it to around 300 degrees (just heating the area where the gasket was on the housing/cast iron). I waited a few minutes and had a short wooden handled screwdriver to sacrifice (that I had removed the wood and found a place close to to a web, a few taps and it started to move. I worked around it a little at a time with various sized screw drivers while having the cherry picker lifting the ***embly.
There was no lube in the housing and the white grease was still showing from when (I ***ume) the ring gear and pinion were set up. Yes, there was lots of gasket maker squeezed out. Acetone didn't faze what ever it was.